By Tony Mahoney

As Manchester United return to Stamford Bridge, the official at the centre of the Jon Obi Mikel 'abuse' storm, Mark Clattenburg, is handed a Champions League last-eight clash

Mark Clattenburg will referee the most prestigious club match of his career just five months after being suspended over an unfounded allegation of verbally abusing a Chelsea player.

The 38-year-old was stood down from officiating in the Premier League for a month in November while the Football Association investigated the club's complaint against him.

Chelsea claimed he used "inappropriate language" towards midfielder John Obi Mikel in their 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United in October but the FA found the official had no case to answer.

Clattenburg described the ordeal as "truly frightening" but now, in a remarkable reversal of fortune, Uefa has selected him to oversee the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final between Bayern Munich and Juventus on Tuesday.

A member of UEFA's elite group of referees, Clattenburg has officiated in the Champions League since 2008 but has never been handed the responsibility of a last-eight encounter or beyond.

Many neutral observers would also view Bayern-Juventus as the tie of the round, involving two continental giants with rich histories and titanic reputations.